© 2024 SDPB Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Tiny Liechtenstein Loses A Precious Quarter-Acre

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

To a different foreign land now with its own point of pride. Not poetry, in this case, but size. Liechtenstein is that tiny principality in Europe with a population smaller than Hoboken, N.J. The country is a grand total of 62 square miles. And now it's getting even smaller.

Last month, when the government altered its official map, bits and pieces of land disappeared altogether, making it a quarter of an acre smaller. But as the Wall Street Journal reports, no one seemed to mind. In fact, Liechtensteiners pride themselves on their tiny homeland. Where else in the world could the head of state invite all the citizens up to the castle for a beer? Ah, Liechtenstein. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Rachel Martin is a host of Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.